We Found Love In A Hopeless Place
by Psycho-Barbie16
Summary: Ryann Sterry has been through just about everything in her short life. Form being born to a gang-banger father and a drug addict prostitute mother, to being raised on the streets. Her only outlet is through her music and wrestling. She thought she had the worst life in the world. But her opinions quickly changed when she met Jon Good.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended all rights go the the original owners.**

* * *

Sixteen year old Jonathan Good was standing on his usual street corner, where he directed the crack heads to where Lavon was dealing around the corner, when he first met her.

The small girl with the green eyes walked up to him and tapped his shoulder. "Are you Lavon?" The girl of maybe fifteen asked him in that accent that he couldn't place.

"No I'm Jon. Why do you need him?"

"My mom needs her supply for tonight." Jon and the girl went to the same school and were in the same grade but for whatever reason they could not stand each other. Probably because they never spoke more than two words to each other, or maybe it was because they were both children or the streets or 'gutter trash' that some would call them, or maybe because they just ran within different circles. But for whatever reason they couldn't stand each other in school but out or school all Jon saw was this fragile little girl.

"He's right around that corner." Jon said.

"Thank you." Then she left. Jon had seen the small girl walking on the streets several times but never out buying she was also always with a woman who shared her features only older and more deformed because of the amount of drugs she consumed. Jon didn't know much about the girl or her mother other than the fact that they had come here from some West Indian country about six years ago.

The girl walked back out with a small bag of cocaine. "Thanks again." She said as she walked past him and into the apartment building that he too lived in.

* * *

Ryann Sterry sat at the table in the small crappy apartment that she her mother and sometimes her father lived in. The apartment was small and only had one bedroom and the pull out couch the she slept on. The bedroom belonged to her mother and whichever man she brought home that night and on occasion her pathetic excuse of a gang-banger father.

Le'Anna was sitting writing in her song book when the door to the apartment opened and in walked her mother Macie, Ryann smiled seeing that she was alone for once.

"Hi mummy."

"Hey sweetheart."

"I got your stuff for tonight. . . . ." Ryann's sentence trailed off as the door opened once again and in walked yet another strange man. 'I guess tonight isn't gonna' be any different' she thought to herself.

"Go on back there sweetie." Macie pointed the man to the bedroom and he left but not without a lingering gaze on Le'Anna. Her mother came over and kissed her forehead. "Get some rest. Okay sweetheart." Ryann nodded and her mother took the bag and went into her room.

When Ryann heard the door close the shook her head. "I can't believe we left Barbados for this." Then she went back to writing.

* * *

Over the next few days Ryann's mother continued to bring home that same man and every time he came over Ryann felt more uncomfortable.

Then one day she was home alone watching wrestling and writing in her book when there was a knock on the door, she got up off the couch and went over to it.

"Who is it?" She yelled.

"It's Ray. You know your Mama's friend." Le'Anna rolled her eyes.

"My mummy's not home yet."Ryann started to go back to the couch.

"I know. She told me to wait." She looked through the peephole and saw it was him then unlocked all the deadbolts and let him in.

"Take a seat if you could find one." She closed the door and sat back down and began writing again while he just stood and looked around the small apartment.

"You like wrestling?"

"Yeah."

"That's cool." He nodded then walked towards the window and looked out of it.

"Look my mummy said she was gonna' be home soon. What you want a soda or somethin'?"

He shook his head then dropped onto the couch beside her. "So tell me where do you sleep?"

"Right here." She nodded to the couch. "Mummy gets the bedroom."

"So you uhh. You wanna make some money?" He threw his arm over the back of the couch and she looked at him. "Come on. You know what I'm talkin' about. You you're mama's daughter ain't you?"

Le'Anna stood up and walked to the door. "Look whateva' you got goin' on with my mummy it's gonna' have to wait til' she gets home." She opened the door. "Come on Ray."

He got off the couch with a little smirk. "Look I didn't mean no harm."

"Yeah whateva'." He walked out the door and she began to close it. "Nasty mother-fucker. . ."

He spun around and pushed the door open. "Listen I don't have to pay you."

"Get off of me." She yelled when he pressed her into the wall and gripped her arms.

"I could just take it." He shook her a little.

"GET OFF OF ME!"

"C'mon girl what chu' gon' do?"

"GET OFF OF ME!"

Le'Anna vaguely heard her mother's voice "Hey."

"MUMMY!"

"What's going on here?" Macie asked as he approached them looking back and forth between them. Ryann could only push back her tears and run out the door. She couldn't stand the look her mother was giving her, like it was her fault.

* * *

Jon was limping his way back to his apartment building after being jumped when he saw her, the girl with the green eyes again. She was sitting on the steps of the building hunched over trying to preserve the little warmth that she could get and it also looked like she was crying

Jon didn't know what it was of why but he felt something for this girl. So he unzipped his hoodie and held it out to her. She looked up with red eyes and looked at him the carefully took the hoodie and put it on. But that wasn't good enough for Jon he reach down and took one of her freezing cold hands in his own, then the other and pulled her up.

He pulled her behind him into the apartment building and onto the elevator which they took up to the 5th floor and Jon took her into his apartment. He sat her down on the couch and went to the kitchen and filled a glass up with water then going back and handing it to her then sitting next to her.

"You wanna' talk about it?" He asked her warily.

She shook her head. "No." She looked around his small apartment that actually had two bedrooms. "You've got a nice place."

"You don't have to lie." He looked at her.

"I'm not."

"Well thanks. How old are you?"

"Fifteen. You?"

"Sixteen." They both nodded and an awkward silence overcame them.

"Can ask you a question?" Ryann asked him shyly.

"I guess."

"Do you have any idea why we hated each other so much that first day of school?"

Jon shook his head. "No probably because you were wearing the same shirt as me and I was supposed to be the only wrestling freak in the school."

Ryann breathed a laugh at remembering walking into school on her first day wearing an 'Austin 3:16' shirt and looking across the hall to see a boy in the same shirt. It was like an instant hate connection had formed. "I guess."

"You still like wrestling." Jon asked her.

"Yeah. I watch it whenever I can, which is not really a lot." Jon nodded and without a word got up and went over to the crappy television in the apartment, that could only get about eleven channels, and turned it on changing it to Friday Night Smackdown.

He sat back down and they watched the show in comfortable silence.

That was the night that started it all. The night they became best friends. And unbeknownst to them started to fall for each other .


	2. Chapter 2

One year later a now seventeen year old Jon sat in the auditorium of the school that he was expelled from a few months prior. He was wearing pair of dark jeans, a button down shirt a pair of boots and his hair was pulled back into a ponytail. As much as he didn't want to be there Jon was proud of Ryann, so proud that he had dragged a few of their mutual friends out to the graduation. Both to show support and so that he wouldn't have to be the only one being stared at for dropping out of school.

* * *

Ryann stood in line with the other graduates just wanting to get her diploma and officially be done with school, entirely. She wasn't sure whether or not she was going to college just yet.

Admittedly the only reason that she was about to graduate was because of Jon. Even though he had dropped out of school he refused to let her do the same, constantly forcing her to study. Even when he had begun training to be wrestler he always took her to the gym with him and sat her down with several books to make sure she studied.

Whenever she took a break from studying she would be completely enthralled by what Jon and the other guys were doing in the ring. Ryann never thought about wrestling as a career before but after watching it being broken down in front of her, she became more interested.

"Ryann Sterry." The principal called and it finally hit her she walked across the stage in her blue robe and shook the principal's hand as Jon and the few others stood and cheer loudly for her causing her to blush.

* * *

"Ladies and Gentlemen I present to you Withrow High School graduating class of 2002." Everyone cheered as they threw their caps into the air.

The crowd dispersed as everyone went to celebrate with their families and Ryann went over and gave Jon a hug and his friends congratulated her then left. Ryann had taken off her blue robe and underneath she was wearing a lightweight blue and white striped sweater, a pair of blue jeans and black sneakers.

"You know I couldn't have done it without you, right?" She told Jon.

"Don't discredit yourself. This was all you."

Ryann sarcastically flipped her hair. "It was wasn't it."

"Rih-Rih." A voice said from behind her and she turned around to see Susan, one of her grandparent's caretakers as well of one of her old babysitters.

"Suzy!" Ryann said as she gave to woman a hug.

"How are you sweetheart?"

"I'm good. I miss you doe'."

"I miss you to. I'm very proud of you."

"Thank you." Ryann saw Susan looking over her shoulder at Jon no doubt. "Suzy dis' my friend Jon, Jon dis' my old babysitter Susan."

She shook his hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise." Jon said politely.

"So dey' couldn't come?" Ryann said sadly talking about her grandparents.

"You know they would if they could. But they send their love." Susan said sensing her sadness.

"Yeah."

"And they want to see you. They miss you."

"I miss them too. Maybe I'll pass by later."

"Okay." Susan gave her a hug. "I'll see you."

"Bye."

"Bye."

"You ready to go home?" Jon asked.

"Yeah." Ryann has basically been living with Jon since that night two years ago and she couldn't be happier.

* * *

"I wan' you to meet my grandparents." Ryann said walking into Jon's room a little later in the day.

"What?" He said pausing the game he was playing.

"I want you, to meet my grandparents." She said once more.

"Why?"

"Because I don't know how much longer dey' have. And their basically the only family I have left." She sat next to him on the couch. "Their important to me, and so are you." She grabbed his hand. "Please Jon. Please!"

He sighed. "Fine."

"Thank you."

So a few minutes later they were in Jon's car heading to the nursing home located not too far off from their run-down apartment buildings. And yes Jon had a car, he bought it with the money he saved up from various jobs. It wasn't the best car or in the best condition when he got it but it had an engine and with a little patience Jon had managed to make it slightly decent.

"Anything you should warn me about before we get there?" Jon asked as they got closer.

"No." Ryann laughed. "Their old Jon. They're not gonna' degrade you are anything."

"I know but. I know they're important to you, so I wanna' make a good impression."

"And you will. Just relax."

"How old are they anyway?"

"Gran-gran is seventy-four and granddaddy is seventy-five."

"Woah."

"Yeah. And they're both like really Bajan so try not to be overwhelmed when dey start talking."

"I'll try." They pulled up to the home and went inside and were met with the receptionist.

"Hello." The receptionist greeted them.

"Hi. Were here to visit."

"And do you have an arrangement."

"No."

"Does anyone in the system know you are coming?"

"Yes one of di' nurses Susan Wilson." The receptionist typed in something.

"And who are you here to visit?"

"Dolly and Bravo Munroe." She typed in something else.

"And your name ma'am?"

"Rihanna Sterry."

"Alright you can just take a seat over there and someone will be with you shortly."

"Thank you."

She and Jon sat in the chairs in the waiting room.

"All that just to see your grandparents?" Jon asked her seeing as the woman basically interrogated her.

"Dey' keep it super tight around here to make sure everyone was always protected. That's the reason mummy choose it. One of the few things she ever did right." Ryann started to get sad thinking about her mother and Jon noticed.

"Hey, none of that today. Alright. You get to see your grandparents. Be happy."

"Your right."

"When am I not." He said sarcastically.

"Shut up." She playfully pushed him.

"Rihanna." They looked up to see Susan. "Come on." She stood up and grabbed Jon's hand and they followed Susan.

They followed her down the hallway past the 'living room' I guess you could call it, and into one of the room where a dark-skinned woman with short hair and glasses sat on the couch along with a light-skinned bald headed man. They both didn't look as old as they were because they weren't wrinkled.

They both looked up when the door opened and bright smiles spread across their faces.

"Rih-Rih!" The woman exclaimed and she slowly got up and Ryann approached her. They gave each other a long hug and the woman kissed the side of her head. They Ryann hugged the man.

Jon pulled up a chair and sat next to the couch while Ryann sat on the couch next to her grandmother or 'Gran-gran' she called.

"How you doing sweetheart? Y'all miss me?"

"Yes. We wait long time for you, you not come see us."

"I know Gran-gran. I know. I've been really busy with school work."

"We know. Susan told us you graduate today. We're very proud of you."

"Thank you Gran."

"How's mummy?" Granddaddy asked her.

"I don't know. I haven't seen she any at'tall. She be all ova' di' streets."

"Rihanna dis your chossel?" Gran asked her looking at Jon who was quiet the whole time watching the interactions.

"No Gran-gran. Dis my frien'. Jon this is gran Dolly and granddaddy Bravo. Gran, granddaddy this my friend Jon." Ryann introduced them.

"You've been taking care of my Rih-Rih?" She asked him.

"Yes ma'am." Jon said politely.

"Rihanna. I want you to sing for me."

"You do? What you wan' me too sing?"

"Marley." Dolly said

"Marley?" Ryann repeated.

"Yes."

"You wan' I to sing Bob Marley for you?"

"Yes I do."

"Granddaddy. Will you play for me?" Ryann asked as she got up then gave Bravo his guitar and he started strumming.

_Old pirates, yes, dey rob I;_

_Sold I to the merchant ships,_

_Minutes after dey took I_

_From the bottomless pit._

_But my hand was made strong_

_By the 'and of di' Almighty._

_We forward in dis' generation_

_Triumphantly._

_Won't you help to sing_

_These songs of freedom? -_

_'Cause all I ever have:_

_Redemption songs;_

_Redemption songs._

_Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;_

_None but ourselves can free our minds._

_Have no fear for atomic energy,_

_'Cause none of them can stop da' time._

_How long shall dey' kill our prophets,_

_While we stand aside and look? Ooh!_

_Some say it's just a part of it:_

_We've got to fulfil de book._

_Won't you help to sing_

_Dese' songs of freedom? -_

_'Cause all I ever have:_

_Redemption songs;_

_Redemption songs;_

_Redemption songs._

_Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;_

_None but ourselves can free our mind._

_Wo! Have no fear for atomic energy,_

_'Cause none of them-a can-a stop-a da' time._

_How long shall dey kill our prophets,_

_While we stand aside and look?_

_Yes, some say it's just a part of it:_

_We've got to fulfill da' book._

_Won't you help to sing_

_Dese' songs of freedom? -_

_'Cause all I ever had:_

_Redemption songs -_

_All I ever had:_

_Redemption songs:_

_These songs of freedom,_

_Songs of freedom._

They stayed for about an hour longer then left with big hugs from both grandparents and Jon took a few pictures with his camera. Then they got back into Jon's car.

"Did you have fun?" He glanced at her momentarily then focused back on the road.

"Yes I did. Thank you for taking me there."

"So, back there when you were talking with your grandparent,"

"Uh huh."

"You know that I could not understand what you were saying."

She slapped his arm. "Jon!"

"What? I couldn't."

"We weren't speaking a different language."

"Well it sounded like you were."

"Whateva'."

"I didn't know you could sing like that." Ryann looked at him. "You were really good."

"Thank you." Then Ryann remembered the invitation she got earlier. "So, Jon. There's this party tonight at Elizabeth's house. You going?"

"Nah. Michael's having something at his place. I'm heading out there tonight." He said as they pulled up to the apartment.

"Oh." She said as they got out of the car and went inside.

"Did you want to go to Liz's party?"

"Kinda."

"I could drop you off, Liz lives a couple blocks from here. Then you could either walk home or I could pick you up when you ready." Jon suggested as the reached their floor.

"Really?"

"Yeah." Ryann started heading in the direction of her old apartment.

"Ry, we live this way." Jon pointed the other way.

"I just need to get something." She turned the corner and banged loudly on the door with a closed fist. Then her mother opened the door.

"What the hell do you want?" Ryann pushed past her grabbing a bag and going into her old room. "What are you doin' ere' huh? You're not around any at'tall for years nd' you just affe' show up to get some clothes." Ryann grabbed the last few pieces of clothes and went into the kitchen the opened on of the cupboards and reached into the very back pulling out the bag of money she had there. "Hey!?" Her mother followed her as she headed back to the door and grabbed her by the bag pulling her back. "Answer me!?"

Ryann stared at her with cold eyes. "I went to see Gran-gran today." Her mother's face dropped. "You remember her don't you? The woman suffering from cancer. The reason we came to Cincinnati." Her mother let her bag go. "Yeah. I gotta' go." Ryann said.

"Where are you going?" Her mother asked softly.

"Out." She replied simply. Then she left the apartment and when she rounded the corner she saw Jon leaning against the wall. "How much of that did you hear?"

He walked towards her and took her bag. "Enough." He took her hand and led her to their apartment.

* * *

Later that night as Ryann was getting ready for the party she sat on the bed with her mirror in her lap in her shorts and bra applying eyeliner, when Jon came and sat on the edge of her bed with his back to her.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He said solemnly.

"It was none of your business."

"Ryann. You took me there with you cuz' you trust me. So why didn't you tell me?"

"Look Jon. It's just something I'd rather not talk about." She got off the bed and looked through her drawers for a top. "It's not exactly something I like to broadcast."

"Ry. It's me. Talk to me." She picked up her shirt and sat down next to him.

"When I was about 8 years old, back in Barbados, Gran-gran was diagnosed with cancer. Then mummy moved us here because she could better treatment than she could on the islands. But when we got here daddy immediately went back into gangs, he had stopped just before I was born. And my mummy well she got into everything else. Then she lost all her money and Gran-gran is getting worse."

"Ryann, I'm sorry."

"I don't want your pity Jon. That's just the way it is." She got up and went to her small jewelry box and put on her bracelets and as she was putting on her necklace Jon came up behind her and clasped it.

"You don't have to be so strong all the time Ry."

She looked over her shoulder at him and noticed how close he was to her. "Yeah I do."

* * *

Later that night the party was in full swing. Ryann had danced with a bunch of people and was now leaning against a wall enjoying the music and talking to a few of the girls in her class that she actually could talk to.

Ryann was wearing a fitted multi-colour shirt with black shorts and silver belt that had several chains hanging down form it, calypso bangles a gold chain and her black converse completed her outfit and her hair was down in loose waves.

As Ryann was talking she noticed that the atmosphere in the room had changed because a more sexual song had begun playing through the speakers. She looked up and noticed that one of the guys in her class was walking towards her.

When he got close enough he pulled her against him and then began grinding together. He turned her around so he back was towards him, still grinding, and she placed her hands on the wall for support.

Ryann was beginning to get uncomfortable when his hand gripped her hip. She turned back and he lifted her arms above her head and leaned towards her.

"You wanna' get out of here?" He said then kissed her neck softly.

She placed both her hands on his chest and pushed him away shaking her head. "No." He looked at her confused and a little angry. "I have to go." She walked away pulled out her phone and seeing that it was a little bit past two a.m. She sent a text message to Jon.

'_Hey. I'm heading out now.'_

_'Cool. Me too. I'll meet you back home.'_

Ryann put away her phone and continued to walk along the completely deserted streets of Cincinnati, when she felt like someone was following her. She turned around and Christopher, the guy from the party, was behind her.

He got close enough and grabbed her shirt, roughly pulling her into his chest. She tried to push him off but he was too strong.

"Nobody, ever tells me no." He pushed her hard up against one of the abandoned buildings. "You understand me bitch?"

She scratched his face. "Get off me." She tried to scratch him again but he grabbed her wrists. "Let me go." When she tried to break free he only gripped tighter. "Stop! Let me go!" By this point she had started yelling and he and pulled her shirt free from her shorts and it was now bunched up at the waist.

He placed his hand roughly over her mouth, and it just about covered half her face, then he leaned in towards her ear. "No you listen to me. I always get what I want. Alright? And right now I want," Ryann tuned him out when she saw a car pull up behind him and someone jumped out and tackled Christopher to the ground immediately punching him and because he was basically holding her off of the ground Ryann fell to the floor in a heap and wiped the few tears that had fallen.

When her savior was done beating down Christopher he stood up. "Get in the car." She immediately recognized Jon's gruff voice and did as was told and soon Jon was speeding the last two blocks to their apartment.

* * *

An hour later they sat on the couch in dead silence as Jon nursed a blunt and Ryann replayed the events of the night.

"You ready to tell me what happened." Jon said as he took another drag.

"Just a misunderstanding."

"Didn't look like it from where I was."

Ryann shook her head. "Jon he made me feel weak. I don't ever wanna' feel like that again." She looked at him as he took the final drag of his blunt. "I wanna' learn how to wrestle. Can you help?"

Jon was slightly stunned at her request but nodded anyways. "Sure." He shrugged. "Sure."

* * *

**Alright here's chapter two.**

**If you wanna here the song Ryann sang and how she sang it the link is in my profile. Also follow my tumblr to see both outfits she wore and the many to come.**

**Also a big thank you to "_callmeoctopus" _ for my first review and your support.**

**Hope everyone enjoyed.**


	3. Chapter 3

A couple weeks after the encounter with Christopher and Ryann's request to Jon, she was in a gym owned by Les Thatcher. She and a group of three other young women and eight young men were being trained in the basics.

While Ryann was the youngest in the group she was right up there with the best in the group. Les even told her that she had 'natural raw talent'. Surprisingly the training hadn't been as bad as she thought it would be. Except that they did maybe a hundred or more squats a day, the group was really friendly and Les was a really cool guy. Always making jokes and keeping the trainings mood light.

Currently they're group was on one side of the gym in a circle doing about a hundred sit ups. Les, who despite his age still had the ability to yell at them and move surprisingly well, was walking around the circle counting off as they went.

"C'mon, c'mon." Les said clapping. "C'mon let's go. Fifteen more." He walked around to the side where Ryann was, "Weak ass Barbadian over this side." He said making everyone laugh as they did there last one.

"You need to stop pickin' on me for real."

"Yeah, but I won't." He clapped his hands. "Everybody up. Into the ring. We gonna' run some drills." They started walking to the ring on the far side of the gym. "Move it. Move it. Move it." They broke off into a run then climbed into the ring. "Everybody line up alongside the far ropes." They moved then did some tumble-rolls everyone did about five in total while going down the line. Ryann stepped forward and did hers but of course not without a comment from Les. "Damn no noise from Barbados at all. She like invisible."

They started doing the reverse rolls then Les stopped them. "Alright guys hold up for a second. I always tell people if you're in training don't be afraid to have some fun you know give a little energy. Not like Alex energy." Les added making the group laugh because Alex was literally a little ball of energy. "But if you have that athleticism to you do be afraid to show it. Don't feel like you have to like," Les stood up from where he was crouched in the corner and did a very small half turn. "Do something like that. Cuz' I'm watching Barbados and she's very much like. I just wanna' roll and roll boom."

"And that's fine cuz' I know it's only like the first couple of weeks and we're like joking around. But don't be afraid to give that little extra like you have it, a lot of times we'll tell you to turn it up a notch or turn it down. But if you have the ability to jump or move a certain way go ahead. Cuz' we'll tell you if you're doing a bit much. But just have some fun with it. That make sense?" Les asked to which everyone answered 'yeah'. "Okay good."

* * *

Later everyone was learning one of the newer moves that Les had taught them. They had started off in a crab-like position then you would bring one leg under your body and shift completely over so then the front of your body was facing the ground and then back again.

Everyone went then it was Ryann's turn. She did her roll then dropped back on her hands and proceeded to turn. "Stop." Les told her. "Go back." She did as told going back to the crab. "Hips up. Now go." She finished her circle then back again then rolled off to the side.

After that they were practicing a bridging type maneuver where you used your legs to push yourself all the way around.

Currently Alex was in the bridge in the middle of the ring but he couldn't quite get the motion down.

"So I have a question." Alex said still in his position.

"Go ahead."

"When I'm here like this, should I be feeling anything on my neck?"

"Okay break down." Alex slowly lowered himself out of the bridge until he was lying flat. "Get up to the right." He did as told and rejoined the line at the back. "Alright step up Barbados." Ryann stepped up and out of the line. "Go." She did a roll then balanced on her hands before flipping herself forward into a bridge. "Alright now stay there for a minute." Les told her.

"Okay."

"Now when you're in that position. It's your arms that you should be putting most of your weight on. So to answer Alex's question you shouldn't be feeling it that much on your neck. That's why I said dip your shoulder, so when you spin it's your arms that are gonna' push you back. Alright now turn." Ryann put one leg over the other and tried to maneuver her arms but found herself almost like a pretzel. "Arms. Arms. Get your leg out from underneath you."

"Wait how?"

"I don't even know how you did that. That was like amazing." Everyone laughed and she flipped back into a proper bridge then started over. "Left foot over." She did it. "Now arms, get squared." She moved and found herself in the proper position. "Over again boom. Perfect. Now break down. Get up to the right."

Everyone went and did theirs and once they were all done Les told them to run the ropes to cool down then they were finished for the day.

* * *

Once Jon was finished training for the day as well they got into his truck and started driving back to the apartment, making small talk here and there.

"Jon do we have to go home right away?" Ryann asked after a few moments of silence.

"We don't have to. Why?" Jon said glancing at her quickly before looking back at the road.

"I wanna' show you something. Take the next right." Jon did as he was told and followed her directions until they arrived to a dilapidated apartment building.

"You sure we're in the right place?" Jon asked her looking up at the building through the windshield.

"I'm sure. C'mon." Ryann got out of the truck and started walking towards the side of the building. Jon sighed but got out of the truck and locked it up and followed her. He reached her just as she had started climbing the rusty ladder that was there.

"Hey. Is that safe?" Jon asked as he watched her climb a few rungs.

"Probably not. But what I wanna' show you will be worth it."

"Ryann I don't know about this." Jon said warily as he began to climb.

Ryann sighed and looked down at him. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course." Jon said without a second thought.

"Then come on."

They climbed about another story or two when Jon spoke again. "Ry how much further are we going?" Jon said warily lookin below them.

"Straight to the top. Why?" Ryann looked down at him and saw him looking around.

"It's just real high."

Ryann smiled. "Is the great Jonathan Good afraid of heights?" She asked sarcastically.

"Everyone's afraid of something."

"I didn't think you were afraid of anything." Ryann was nearly at the top of the building when the rung that she was going to step on was so rusted that it broke off and she lost her balance sliding down the ladder before Jon caught her and pinned her between his body and the ladder. She breathed heavily and covered his hand with her own which was on her bare skin from where her sweater had ridden up. She felt his warm breath on the back of her neck.

"You okay?" He said squeezing her hip a little.

"Yeah." She answered breathlessly. She carefully continued her climb to the roof then Jon after her.

"Ryann?" Jon called out to her cautiously as he made it to the roof.

"Just come here you'll love it." He went over to where she stood at the edge of the building overlooking all of Cincinnati.

"How'd you find this place?" Jon asked her watching all the city light below them.

"My daddy brought me here when we first moved to Cincinnati. Right before we went to 'Deathrow'. Right before he got into, well everything." Deathrow was a slang term for Withrow because everyone who lived in that hood almost always ended up dead or wished they were.

Jon covered her hand with his that was resting on the ledge. "I didn't think your dad was really that kind of guy."

"Neither did I." Ryann smiled at the memory of her father bringing her here. "He'd bring me up here maybe twice a week and tell me 'Ryann I want you to look at Deathrow and I want you to look at Southside. And know that you gon' make it out. You ain't gon' wind up like me and your mama'. Whether it be music or art or," She breathed a laugh remembering her father's face. "Wrestling. One day you gon' make it out and you gon' live on the Southside.' Then we'd leave and he'd take me home and just, completely forget about that talk."

Jon squeezed her hand. "But he did. And that means he cared."

"Of course he did. But lately. I've been realizing that I don't wanna' be one of those prissy bitches on Southside but I don't wanna' be a piece of gutter-trash on the edge of Deathrow for the rest of my life. And then I come up here and I look at Deathrow and I look at Southside and I realize that I like being right in the middle of both. Where I don't have to choose. I can be cut right down the center. I just wish I had the chance to tell him that."

"It doesn't matter that you never got to tell him that. He believed in you and I bet he still does. You just have to go out and make that happen."

"You think we can make it out?" Ryann said looking at their joined hands.

"I know we can."

"How?" She looked at him. "How do you know that?"

"Because we're gonna' work for it. Something no one in Deathrow ever did. And we're gonna' make it out. Together. I promise."

"I believe you."

Ryann turned to look at him and found him already staring intently at her. She looked into his blue eyes that held a hue of grey beneath them. Blue-grey clashed with green and suddenly he was leaning in. so close that she could feel his warm breath on her upper lip. She knew she should stop him, he was her best friend. This couldn't happen. But it did.

Then his lips were on hers. A small peck at first as if testing to see how she would react, and then another and another. Then she kissed him back. The kiss was gentle at first then started getting rougher. Jon wrapped his strong arms around her small waist and pulled her close to his warm body and Ryann wrapped her arms around his neck.

He ran his tongue over her bottom lip asking for entrance which she gave and he pushed his tongue into her mouth immediately battling with hers. Then things started getting really heated. His hands travel lower until he was tightly gripping both of her ass cheeks and he hoisted her up and briefly broke their heated kiss.

"Do you trust me?" He asked breathing heavily.

"Yes." She answered instantly. Their lips locked once again and Jon sat down just beneath the ledge and leaned back against it while Ryann straddled his lap. He broke the kiss once again but kept his lips attached to her as they trailed down her neck and from one side to the other, stopping and sucking on one spot when she moaned out in pleasure.

Ryann gripped his short hair in her hands while she rocked on top of him feeling his erection as he sucked on her neck. But this had to stop or they were going to go too far, plus it was getting far too late.

While she was still slightly in the right state of mind she tugged at his hair. "Jon." She tried not to moan as he hummed against her neck. "We should stop."

He roughly kissed her lips again then went back to work on that spot on her neck. "Why?"

"Because it's getting late and," She finally pulled his head away and looked into his eyes. "We should go home."

"Yeah. Your right." He nodded and stood up with her still in his arms. Then he placed her on the ground and kissed her once more. "Let's go home." He took her hand and tugged her back over to the ladder and went down first then she followed.

* * *

When they got back to their apartment building they were both surprised that the ride back hadn't been as awkward as they thought it would be.

They were even more surprised to arrive at the apartment and see Ryann's mother leaning against the door. But she looked different. Her clothes looked better, cleaner and fitted her well and her skin didn't look as sunken is as it was. She looked, healthy.

"Mummy what are you doin' ere'?" Ryann asked her mother confused.

"I need to talk to you."

"I don't think that's a good idea." Jon said standing directly in front of Ryann.

"Please Jonathan." Macie pleaded with the boy. "Please Ryann."

Ryann placed her hand on Jon's shoulder. "Fine." Macie smiled slightly and turned to lead to her apartment. "No." Ryann's voice stopped her. "In here." She nodded to her Jon's apartment.

Macie looked hesitant but nodded. "Okay."

Jon opened the door to the apartment and led the way in. Macie sat on the couch and Jon and Ryann went into the kitchen. "What is she doing here?"

"I don't know." Ryann sighed. "She could only want something and I'm not giving her any money."

Jon nodded. "You want me to come out there with you?"

"No. I'll handle her." She looked at him. "Just stay close."

"Always." She went to leave the kitchen when Jon spoke again.

"Hey." He grabbed her hand and tugged her back kissing her once. "Now you can go." She smiled and went into the living room where her mother was looking around nervously.

"Why are you here?" Ryann said almost emotionlessly.

"I thought bout' what you said to me a few weeks ago. And how you looked at me. And I got better."

"What are you talkin' bout'?"

"I got clean Ry. I gave it up. I gave it all up. For you."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes." Macie grabbed her daughter's hand. "And I turned him in."

"Who?"

"Lavon." Ryann's mouth dropped open. "He looking at thirty to life as of right now."

Ryann smiled. "I'm proud of you."

"Thank you. There's more." Macie reached into her bag and pulled out an envelope and handed it to her.

Ryann opened it and pulled out its contents. "Plane tickets?"

"To Barbados. For me, you, gran-gran, granddaddy. Were gonna' go home."

"There's only four tickets. What bout' daddy?"

"About that." Macie grabbed both of her hands. "Your fathers in jail too Ryann."

"What?"

"He was arrested last week. He was involved in a shoot-out and the boys left him to get caught. He's looking at twenty-five." Ryann scoffed. "But we can still go. We can get gran-gran treatments and she'll get better and-"

Ryann shook her head and interrupted her. "Go? I'm not goin' anywhere." She gave her back the plane tickets. "I'm stayin' in Cincinnati."

"Wha- Why?"

"You haven't exactly been around mummy. For anything. Now I'm just supposed to up and leave witchu'?"

"Well I just thought-"

"You thought wrong. You, gran-gran and granddaddy. You go back. I'm they'll love it." Ryann took a deep breath. "But I'm stayin' here."

"I don't know why I thought you would come. But you're so headstrong." Macie told her.

"Stubborn is more like it." Jon said as he came out of the kitchen and sat on the couch next to Ryann. "Ms. Macie." He nodded to her and grabbed Ryann's hand.

"Jonathan." She nodded back and looked at their joined hands. "This what you choose?"

"Yes."

"Then you better take good care of my daughter Jonathan."

"I will."

Macie stood up and so did Ryann and they hugged tightly for a moment, then she walked her to the door.

"I'll call you when we go to the airport."

"Okay." They hugged one more time then Macie left.

Ryann sat back on the couch next to Jon and held her head in her hands.

"You alright?" Jon asked and Ryann could hear the smile in his voice.

"I think I need a smoke."

"You know how to roll?"

"Will you teach me?"

* * *

Jon went into his room then came back after a few minutes with a bag filled with marijuana. He sat back down next to her and pulled out a brown piece of paper and began filling it in with the buds. He went through the entire process while explaining it to her. Then he licked the edges sealing it.

"I'm gonna shotgun this to you alright." He pulled her between his legs and draped her thighs over his so they were up against each other. "It's you first time we don't want you getting choked." He took the lighter off the table and handed it to her. "Here." He placed the joint between his lips. "Light it."

Ryann flicked the lighter and when it caught held it to the edge of the joint until it lit. Jon took a few puffs for himself and blew it out. They he took one long drag, moved the joint from his mouth and leaned in closely to her and blew a steady stream of the smoke into her mouth to which she happily obliged. Once all was gone from his mouth he leaned in and gave her a peck. She held in the smoke for a moment then slowly blew it all out.

"Damn you took it like a pro." Jon said impressed.

Ryann smirked and kissed him again. "I'm Caribbean Jon" She took the blunt from his hand "It's in my nature." She took another hit then held it up to his lips to let him take one as well.

Tomorrow she wanted to go and visit her father and figure out what was going to happen to her relationship with Jon.

But tonight she was just going to get high, because she found that she really liked the feeling of it.

* * *

**Sorry I haven't been on in a while I've been crazy busy with school and stuff but hopefully I can get the next chapter up by next week because that was in going to be a real insight into Ryann's life before she met Jon and her relationship with her father.**

**What do you guys think of Ryann and Jon's new relationship?**

**Also I would really appreciate some review guys.**

**Let me know what you think.**

**p.s. I got the inspiration for the training session form this (https): www. youtube watch?v (=_RvRB_wvdyU) Remove the brackets and spaces and you guys can go check it out. Its really based off of that.**


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